


Little Ways (I Love You)

by archerthames



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Domestic, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:48:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28101918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archerthames/pseuds/archerthames
Summary: For someone with such a larger-than-life personality, it's the small things Alfred does that Arthur finds most admirable.
Relationships: America/England (Hetalia)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 27





	1. Engrossed

When Alfred had suggested he read to keep himself busy while Arthur worked across the room from him at his laptop, the latter expected a reasonable amount of silence from both parties. It wasn’t until they were both settled in that Arthur realised this was not going to be the case. Occasionally, thrown out into the otherwise quiet bedroom, Alfred would make a noise in reaction to his book. Each time Arthur glanced over to see if something was wrong, the other was simply staring, impossibly enveloped in the story in his hands. He couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face each time Alfred gasped quietly or sighed, all while not ever lifting his eyes from those pages. Eventually, Arthur found himself staring, completely disregarding whatever he was working on for minutes at a time in favour of watching his boyfriend’s expression hardly alter from it’s intense, focused state. That expression was something rather constant anytime Alfred focused on anything. Whether he was reading, working on a craft, going through an especially difficult stage in a video game, or cooking, Alfred had this almost stoic and mysterious look about him. It always vanished when he looked away from what he was doing to instead look at Arthur, that serious face quickly being replaced with something much softer, sometimes even a smile. 

Arthur was caught off guard when Alfred quickly whipped around in his rocking chair, looking rather eager, a stark contrast to his previous guise. “Psst- Can I tell you about this part in my book,” Alfred offered giddily, hanging off a back post of the chair, his legs folded comfortably underneath him. 

Seeing as Arthur wasn’t getting any work done anyways, and he couldn’t deny Alfred a thing in the world when he said it like that, he obliged and listened attentively as Alfred proceeded to catch Arthur briefly up to speed on the events within his book, especially the parts that he assumed had made him let out a chorus of vocal reactions. He told him about the characters, what made them important, the relationships, the current drama... All the while, Arthur continued to stare, ignoring his laptop and instead resting his head in his palm, even after Alfred had finished talking. He couldn’t help but laugh quietly at his excitement, to which Alfred laughed in response,

“What?”

“Nothing, you’re just very cute.”


	2. Embrace

This was usually how making dinner went. Alfred would do most of the work with the food, Arthur occasionally drifting in to ask if he needed any help or just to estimate how much longer it would take for the food to be ready. Seeing as Arthur wasn't much help in the actual cooking process, he often took it upon himself to do the washing up when it came to appliances and things Alfred was finished using, making less of a mess for them to clean up after dinner was finished cooking. It was a very effective process in Arthur's mind, no matter how many times Alfred complained about how, "It's my mess, I should clean it up!" Arthur always rolled his eyes at that line, happily doing his part so that he wasn't simply getting in Alfred's way by standing in front of different cabinets while he was trying to prepare their meal. 

There was a special bonus to doing the dishes, though, that Arthur enjoyed in particular. Aside from having less mess to worry about and not feeling entirely useless, there was an additional motivation to wash up off to the side of the kitchen. When Alfred had a moment where he didn't have to watch the food he was making, he would slip over towards the sink behind Arthur, and slide his arms around his waist. Sometimes it was more playfully affectionate, Arthur earning himself a squeeze while the both of them laughed and he maybe splashed a bit of water in Alfred's direction. Sometimes, though, it was slower, more intentional. Alfred's chin would rest on Arthur's shoulder and nestle into his neck, a content hum coming from the other that rumbled against his back pleasantly. Those times Arthur would find himself leaning backwards, his eyes falling closed while he sank into the warm feeling of Alfred's arms around him. 

This was one of those times. Both of them had been rather quiet, Arthur drifting off in thought about their plans for later that week. When Alfred came up from behind, he gasped unintentionally, letting out an embarrassed sigh as the man behind him drew closer. Slow, strong arms snaked around his middle and pulled him close, Arthur lifting a hand to pat Alfred's head. He turned his own head to steal a kiss against Alfred's face, the two swaying silently for a moment while the water ran and fan above the stove buzzed. Arthur thought himself to be much more physically affectionate than Alfred, but whenever the other did decide to show himself in that way, it never failed to make Arthur's chest soar.


	3. Exchanging Glances

" _I practice every day to find some clever lines to say to make the meaning come through..._ "

The music played over the two while they sang, the quiet splashing of water occasionally drawing a moment of laughter from either of them. Alfred's back was to the side of the tub, Arthur laying against his chest and toying lazily with the other's hair. 

" _But then I think I'll wait until the evening gets late and I'm alone with you..._ "

Arthur had never felt a stronger sense of bliss in his life. The alcohol warmed his stomach, the water warmed his face, but the look Alfred gave him sent a different warmth flooding his chest. He knew he would have to leave soon, but he would give anything to stay there, with Alfred, in that moment, forever. If that meant being doomed with wrinkly fingertips for eternity, then so be it. 

" _The time is right your perfume fills my head, the stars get red and oh, the night's so blue..._ "

To spend every day of his life like this, alone together with the one person he cared for about most in the world, singing old songs and blowing bubbles at each other to make the other laugh, would be a dream come true. He'd never felt more complete than when he was staring into Alfred's eyes and just existing with him, sharing memories like this. Alfred's skin against his own so innocently and comfortably, the sound of his singing voice echoing within that corner of the tub (a sound he rarely had the pleasure of hearing), how soft and genuine his smile was. Arthur was utterly taken. He was hopeless and forever entwined. He'd never wanted a single thing more in his entire life, than to spend it with the man in front of him. 

" _And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like 'I love you'..._ "


End file.
